Potteryware decorating apparatus stamp



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w, HPEMTERSON PDTTBRYWARE DECORATING APPARATUS STAMP Original Filed June as. 1943 s Sheets-Sheet 1 BY I Dec. 30, 1952 Dec. 30, 1952 w. H. EMERSON ,6

POfTERYWARE macormrmc;v APPARATUS-STAMP v Original Filed June 26, 1943 6 Sheots-$heet 2 INVENTOR.

' 19 7' TOP/YE VJ 30, 1952 w. H. EMERSON 2,523,452

POTTERYWARE DECORATING APPARATUS 's'rmp Original med June 26. 1.94.5 e Shets-$het 4 INVENTOR.

BY H y AM :2 W21;

6 Sheets-$hnt 5 -Wimf/ W. H. EMERSON POTTERYWARE DECORATING APPARATUS STAMP g aa-0' Dec. 30, 1952 Original Filed-June 26. 1943 Dec. '30, 1952 w. H. EMERSON 2,623,452

POTTERYWARE DECORATING APPARATUS STAMP Original Filed June 26, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Dec. 30, 1952 POTTERYWAR-E DECORATING APPARATUS STAMP Walter H. Emerson, deceased, late of Liverpool Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, by- Elizaboth King Emerson, executrix, East Liverpool, Ohio, assignor to The Homer Laughlin China Company, Nowell, W. Va., a corporation of Delaware Original application June 26, 1943, Serial. No.

492,347. Divided and this application Decemher, 20, 1949, Serial No. 134,008

3 Claims.

This invention relates to potteryware decorating apparatus, andmore particularly to apparatus for stamping decorations on articles of dinnerware. This application is a division of my copending application, Serial Number 492,347; filed Mounted on thefelongated rectangulartop of a June 26, 1943, now Patent No. 2,493,953. table I are four brackets 2 that support the ends The customary way of stamping decorations on of a pair bilaterally spaced parallel guide rails 3 dinnerware is by hand. Thus, a workman holds extending lengthwise or, the table. A long, in his hand a rubber stamp which carries a short row rectangular slide 4 between these bars is p osegment of the circular design that is to be 19 vided with laterally projecting slottedfshoes 5 stamped on a piece of Ware. He inks the stamp that straddle the. railsand support them for and then presses it against the ware, This opreciprocation lengthwisei Additionallorackets 6 eration is repeated ashe rotates the ware until upp th ails between th i e d oject enough segments of the design are. printed to from the bottom of theslide near its centeris a complete a circle. If another circular design is bearing 1 that is pivotally connected by a link 8 desired at the center of the ware, the step-by-step o the upper end- Of alcver 9] which is osci fi b y process must be repeated again. It will be seen mounted at itslower end inla bearing i0 fasthat such a method is very slow and requires toned t & p t n af tfi of the tableskilled labor to match the sections of the design, In order to recip cate e slide, t bentra1p0r to make the design circular, and to print the deion of the ev 5 'bv dqi W th a lat ly P osign clearly without smearing it. jecting roller I3 that travels in a cam groove I It is among the objects of this invention to prcin the front side oi a circular cam disc I5. This vide pottcryware decorating apparatus which cam is rigidly mounted on a horizontal cam shaft stamps a complete design on a piece of ware in I6 0116 1 of whichisjournaled in abea in IT a single operatiomwhich simultaneously stamps (Figs. 3 d DY fa mn d, to a Vertical plate IB both brim and center designs, which accurately extending across t fi abk Of the table. The other positions designs on the ware, which is automatic, nd f the shaft extends through a bearing 2!] which is rapid in operation, and which does not mounted on t e i e of aveit em 2 require a skilled attendant. near the center of the table. The front end of In accordance with this invention a design may the am Shaft e fi nd i tQ a ear reduction unit be stamped on the center of a piece of ware as 22 thatis driven by a pu ey 23 d t 4 from well as on its brim portion by forming each an elect c m t un ed o base p e I I. stamping member from a pair of coaxial stamps The 0am r fll is p d bhatth s ideis held one of which is movable axially of the other. Durmotionless for a'shqrt each e d o i ing inking, the decorating surfaces of the two St stamps are disposed in substantially the same Mounted on each end of the slide is a wareplane, after which the inner stamp projects from Supporting member in the form of, a horizontal the outer one for stamping the center of the ware chuck 27 h annular. a l of h h s ubber o at the same time that the outer stamp stamps the other suitable es l n ma e a T center of marginal portion thereof. During stamping, the the Chuck 5 a fi p n o Uppe outer stamp may be flexed to conform'it to the end of a ti pine .3 Q whi h the chuck is inclination of the surface that it is to decorate. idly l-Quilted.v The P pe. BXt BIl dSdOWn throu h The preferred embodiment of the invention is t slide a d s r ec f a o i p i illustrated in the accompanying drawings in cured to the tom of the slide. As shown in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my machine gthfifl g c i fi d ya fiexiibll 11039 with the stamps raised; Fig. 2 is a vertical section to to a horizontal pipe 3i that is connected to with the stamps lowered; Fig. 3 is an end view a ui le s c f on 1( b shownl. Pipe taken on the line III-n1 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an 3! is r idl m u d n a p f r c 3 on enlarged horizontal section taken on the line top of the table beneath one side of the slide; The IV-IV of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmen- 5 upp r ends of the brackets areprovidedwith nontary plan view of the reciprocating slide taken on the line V-V of Fig. 1; Fig. (its a vertical transverse section takenon the line VI-VI of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section through a stamping member engaging the inking 2" member; and Fig. 8 is a similar view of the stamping member engaging a dinner plateto decorateit.

Reference will now be made to the drawings.

circular passages: in which a D3 12 35is slidably mounted; The center or the banhasa depending lug 3Sthatactuates a s-liidevalye 310p the pipe. The valvepreierahly' is of the type known as Quik-as-Wink. The ends or the bar are provided with upwardly projecting pins 33 which are adapted to be alternately engaged by a depending lug 39 on the bottom of the reciprocating slide. Thus, when the slide moves in one direction it strikes one of the pins and moves the bar to open the valve, thereby reducing the air pressure between the chuck and a piece of ware, such as a plate M, on the chuck. This draws the plate down tightly onto the chuck and holds it there against displacement during stamping. After the slide has moved a predetermined distance in the opposite direction, lug 39 engages the other pin and moves the bar to close the valve. A similar valve and actuating mechanism are mounted on the opposite side of the table for controlling the suction of the other chuck.

Just before the valve is opened, the plate is centered on the chuck by three vertical centering pins 50 mounted on the ends of arms 5 I, shown best in Figs. 5 and 6. The opposite ends of the arms are pivotally mounted on the upper ends of pins 52 secured to the top of the slide at equally spaced intervals around the chuck and at uniform distances from its axis. Rotatably mounted on each pin below the arm is a roller 53 that projects into a peripheral. groove in a horizontal ring 54. The ring is rotatably supported by the rollers. The pivoted end of each arm has a bifurcated lateral projection 56 that straddles a pin 51 projecting from the top of the ring. It will thus be seen that if the ring is turned, pins 51 will swing the arms and cause the centering pins either to engage and center a plate mounted on the chuck or to move away from the chuck, depending upon which way the ring is turned.

For turning the ring, a pin 69 projects from its bottom and down through a slot BI in the slide and into one end of a push rod 62 that is reciprocable in a bearing 63 pivoted to the bottom of the slide, as shown in Fig. 6. This rod extends transversely of the slide, and its outer end carries a block 64 to the bottom of which a roller 65 is attached. The roller is urged outwardly into engagement with a cam bar 61 by a bell crank 68 pivotally connected to the' bottom of the slide. One arm of the crank has a bifurcated end that straddles pin 60 above 'thepush rod, while the other end of the crank is connected by a coil spring 69 to a pin I projecting from the bottom of the slide. The crank is biased in a direction that pushes rod 52 toward the cam bar and that will rotate the centering ring in a counter-clockwise direction to swing the centering pins inwardly when roller 65 runs off the cam bar. The distance that the centering pins can be moved inwardly is controlled by a set screw 12 mounted in a threaded member I3 secured to the adjacent end of the slide. The inner end of this screw is engaged by a lug I4 on the bell crank after the latter has rotated the desired amount.

The cam bar 61 is rigidly mounted on top of a block 15 that is slidable transversely of the table in a guide member I6 attached to one of the brackets 2 below the front guide rail 3. A screw TI is journaled in the bracket 2 and is threaded through block I so that by turning the screw the cam bar can be moved toward or away from the center of the table in order to cause the centering pins to swing outwardly to a greater or lesser extent. The inner end of the cam bar is inclined outwardly so that roller 65 will roll off the bar and permit spring 69 to move the centering pins inwardly. This centers a plate on the chuck. Immediately thereafter the cam roller engages another cam I8 (Fig. 5) which causes the centering ill pins to be moved outwardly again before stamping takes place. This cam is pivotally mounted at its outer end on an arm I9 projecting below the guide rail from bracket 6. The inner end of the cam is loosely connected to a screw that is threaded in a nut 8I rotatably mounted in bracket 6. By turning this nut, the inner end of the cam can be adjusted transversely of the table.

Mounted on the slide midway between the two chucks is an inking member which includes a circular disc or platen 83 rigidly mounted on the upper end of a shaft 84 journaled in a bearing 85 mounted on the center of the slide. As the slide moves back and forth, the platen is inked with gold, silver or other ceramic color by a pair of inking rolls 81 mounted above it. The front ends of the rolls are journaled in bearings 88 attached to a vertical plate 89 mounted on the front guide rail 3. The opposite ends of the rolls are journaled in bearings 91 mounted on a plate 92 supported above the table by the side flanges of an upright frame 93 mounted on top of the table. The desired color may be supplied to the inking rolls from small tanks 94 supported above them. The color is forced out of small openings in the bottoms of the tanksat the desired rate by air pressure which is supplied to the tanks in any convenient manner.

Every time the slide reciprocates, platen 83 is rotated a few degrees by an arm 91 mounted on the upper end of a shaft 98 that is journaled in a bearing 99 in the top of the table. The free end of the arm may be bifurcated to straddle any one of a series of pins II'II projecting downwardly from a collar mounted on the lower end of platen shaft 84. If desired, the platen can be held stationary while the arm is being swung back to its original position, by a spring-pressed dog I03 (Fig. 5) pivotally mounted on the bottom of the slide with its free end provided with a lateral notch that receives one of the pins I0 I.

The lower end of shaft 98 on which the arm is mounted is connected to one end of an arm I05 the opposite end of which is pivotally connected by a link I96 to the upper end of a lever I01. The central portion of the leveris pivotally supported by a bearing I08 mounted on the side of a vertical member I09. The lower end of the lever carries a roller III that projects into a cam groove H2 in a plate I I3 that is rigidly mounted on one side of a cam disc II4. This disc is rigidly mounted on cam shaft I6. As the shaft rotates, the cam groove oscillates the lever and thereby swings the platen arm 91 back and forth to periodically index the platen. v

Disposed directly above the inking platen and also directly above one of the chucks when the slide is at either end of its path of travel are a pair of stamps I I5 and I I6 for decorating the upper surfaces of ware mounted on the chucks. Each of these stamps is supported by a rod II! that is detachably connected at its upper end to the lower end of a rod I I3 that is adjustable vertically in a vertical tube I I 9. For this purpose the upper end portion of each rod I I8 is threaded in a nut I2I that can be turned by a handle I22. The lower end of the nut has a flange underlying a cap I23 that is screwed on the upper end of the tube so that the nut can not move away from the tube. The tubes are vertically reciprocable in bearings I24 projecting from the front plate I25 of the frame.

Each of the tubes is reciprocated, in order to reciprocate the stamp it supports, by a crank. The crank includes a link I2'I that is pivotally connectedto the sideof the tube and-to a crank disc I28. The disc is rigidly mountedon one end of a shaft I29 that is journaled in frame 93 and its front plate I25. This shaft preferably is made in two parts normally connected together by a manually operable clutch I30 (Fig. 3). The rear end of the shaft carries a sprocket I32 which is connected by a chain I33 to a large sprocket I34 journaled in the lower portion of the frame. The chain between the two upper sprockets passes under an idler sprocket I35 that is adjustable vertically in the back of the frame so as to keep the chain taut. It will be seen that as the large sprocket is oscillated, the smaller sprockets likewise will be oscillated and the cranks will therefore raise and lower the stamps.

To oscillate the large sprocket, it is pivotally connected by a link I31, that extends down through the top of the table, to the free end of a horizontal lever I38 the opposite end of which is oscillatably mounted in a bearing I39 attached to a vertical member I40. The central portion of this lever carries a laterally projecting roller I42 that extends into a cam groove in cam disc l I4. This groove is the same shape as cam groove I4, and is directly behind it. In fact, it is possibleto operate both of the main levers from a single cam groove. Cam I I4 and lever I38 oscillate the large sprocket I 34 through a 90 arc. This sprocket has approximately four times as many teeth as either of the smaller sprockets I32 so that the latter will be oscillated about 360. Thus, the large sprocket may have eighty teeth while each of the small sprockets may have twenty-one teeth. This makes it possible to get the cranks and stamps in motion before much force is applied to the stamp. It will be seen that when the upper end of link I31 has traveled 45 from either the upper or the lower end of its path, crank links I21 will be in their lower position and the stamps will therefore be in engagement with inking platen and ware on one of the chucks. Continued movement of link I31 for the other 45 of the arc will raise the stamps to their original position. The same thing happens when the link moves in the opposite direction. In Fig. l the upper end of link I3! is shown in its upper position, so the stamps are raised. In Fig. 2 the large sprocket I34 has been rotated 45, so the stamps are in their lower or stamping position. By the time the sprocket has turned another 45 in the same direction the stamps will be brought by their actuating cranks to their upper position.

If only the center or the brim of the ware is to be decorated by a single stamping member, the latter can be a unitary stamp rigidly mounted on the lower end of rod I II. On the other hand, if decorations are desired for both the center and brim of the ware, it will save time to stamp both decorations simultaneously. This can be done in accordance with this invention, as shown in Figs. 2, '7, and 8, by providing each stamping member with a center stamp I encircled by a brim stamp I5I. The center stamp is mounted on the bottom of a disc I52 which is rigidly mounted on the lower end of rod II'I so that the lower surface of the stamp always descends to the same level, whether it is being inked or is stamping a piece of ware. Slidably mounted on rod Ill above the disc is a metal plate I53 that is normally held in its lower position on the rod, as shown in Fig. 7, by means of .a coil spring I54 encircling the rod and compressed between the plate and a collar I55 on the rod above it. The

lower surface of the plate I53 carries the annular brim stamp I5'I that encircles the disc I52 and the center stamp I50. The brim stamp has an inner annular recess into which the disc I52 extends so that it overlies a substantial portion of the brim stamp. The bodies of the stamps are made of deformable resilient material, such as sponge rubber.

When the stamping member is raised and also when it engages the inking platen, the lower surface of its center and brim stamps lie in a common horizontal plane, as shown in Fig. 7, because spring I54 urges plate I53 down to its lowest position. The two stamps I50 and I5I thus'engage the inking platen flat and with the same pressure for uniform inking of their surfaces. However, in stamping a piece of ware, such asdinner plate 4| or the like, the two stamps will engage the ware at different levels. If their decorating surfaces lie in the same plane, the brim stamp would be so highly compressed by the plate brim that the brim design would be smeared and indistinct. To avoid this, the plate 4| is supported with the flat upper surface of its bottom at substantially the same level as thetop of the inkin platen so that the center stamp I50will engage the plate 5| with just the right amount of pressure, and the downward movement of the brim stamp I5I is restrained in order to elevate it relative to the center stamp. This restraintis effected by vertical pins I51 mounted on top of slide 4 around the chuck. As a stamping member descends toward an underlying piece of ware. its plate I53 strikes the tops of these pins by which further movement of that plate is prevented just as the outer edge of the brim stamp engages the brim of the ware, but rod III and the center stamp continue to descend a short distance farther so that disc I52 secured to a rod presses the inner portion of the brim stamp downwardly. This action presses the decorating surface of the brim stamp down against the inclined brim of the ware as the center stamp strikes the center of the ware, as shown in Fig. 8. The outer stamp I5I thus engages the ware with substantially the same pressure as the inner stamp I50. When the stamping member is raised again, the plate I53 is returned to its lower position on red I] I by the spring I54.

In the operation of this machine, an operator is stationed at each end of the table and as. Slide 4 is moved toward one of them he places. a piece of ware on the adjacent chuck 21. Centering fingers 50 are held open at this time by cam bar 61, and the stamping members are in their upper position. Referring to Fig. l, as cam I5 continues to rotate in a clockwise directi n, the lever 9 is swung to the right Whichmoves the slide to the right on its guide rails. As soon as roller of the centering device runs off the inner end of cam 61 the centering fingers 50 are swung inwardly by spring 69 and the ware is thereby centered on the chuck. Immediately following this, slide valve 31 at the front of the table is opened so that vacuum is applied to the chuck to hold the ware in centered position thereon. Th slide carries the chuck under stamping member ,II5 and then stops While cam I14 and lever I38 cause both stamps to descend in unison. As shown in Fig. 2, stamping member II5, which previously has been inked, stamps adecoration on the ware beneath it in the manner illustrated in 8, but stamping member IIG engages the inking platen :by whichtcolor :is appliedtoit. The platen received color from rolls 8'! as it passed. under ,them. The shape of cam groove H2 is such that it causes arm '91 to rotate platen 83 a few degrees while the stamps are descending, and then a few more degrees after the stamps have started to rise again. The ware which previously was decorated by stamping member H6 is carried by the slide to the workman at'the right end of the table where it is removed from the chuck and is replaced by an undecorated piece.

Continued rotation of cam H4 causes the stamping members to be raised again, after which the slide is moved by lever 9 back to the left to carry the right-hand chuck under stamping member I I6 and to locate the inking platen under stamping member H5. When the stamping members descend in order to ink one and to press the other against the right-hand plate, th decorated left-hand plate is removed and replaced by another plate by the workman at the left end of the table.

It will thus be seen that this machine can operate very rapidly and that it has a high capacity, because a piece of ware is moved under one stamp every time the slide moves a decorated piece away from the other stamp. Also, by stamping both center and brim simultaneously, the performance of a second stamping operation on the same ware is eliminated and proper positioning of the two decorations relative to each other is assured.

In the following claims reference is made to horizontal and vertical elements and movements, but that is done only for convenience in locating the different elements relative to one another, since it will be understood that the invention is the same whether the stamps reciprocate vertically, horizontally or at an inclination.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and construction of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced ,otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

'1. In a potteryware decorating machine, a pair of independently mounted coaxial stamps, a support for the outer stamp projecting laterally beyond it and provided with a central opening, a support for the inner stamp slidably mounted in said opening, one of said supports being slidable axially relative to the other to move the adjoining stamp from inking position to stamping position, means associated with said supports for periodically holding them with the decorating surfaces of the two stamps in substantially the same plane for inking, and means adapted to be engaged by the projecting portion of the support for the outer stamp to limit its movement toward stamping position relative to the movement of the center stamp.

2. In a machine for decorating the inside of concave potteryware, a pair of independently mounted coaxial stamps, a support for the outer stamp provided with a central opening, a support for the inner stamp slidably mounted in said opening, means for moving one of said supports vertically relative to the other to move the adjoining stamp from inking position to stamping position, means for limiting the distance that said outer support can approach the ware being decorated, a spring for moving said one support in the opposite direction to return said adjoining stamp to inking position, the decorating surfaces of the two stamps being in substantially the same plane when in inking position and the decorating surface of the inner stamp being below the outer stamp when in stamping position, the ,outer stamp being provided with an inner annular recess, and a circular plate carried by said inner stamp support and projecting into said recess for engaging the underlying portion of the outer stamp for pressing said portion downward during stamping to slant the decorating surface of the outer stamp down toward the axis of the stamps.

3. In a machine for decorating the inner surfaces of concave potteryware, a horizontal plate provided with a central opening, a sleeve rigidly connected to the plate around said opening and extending upward therefrom, an annular flexible stamp secured to the bottom of the plate around said opening and provided with an inner annular recess, a post slidably mounted in said sleeve, 2. center stamp carried by the lower end of the post, mean for reciprocating the post in the sleeve to move the inner stamp between inking and stamping positions, means separate from the ware being decorated for holding said plate stationary when the inner stamp is moved down to stamping position, and stamp flexing means carried by the post and projecting into said annular recess for engaging the underlying portion of the annular stamp for flexing the stamp when the inner stamp is moved between said positions, the lower surfaces of the stamps being in substantially the same horizontal plane when in inking position but the lower surface of the center stamp being below the annular stamp when in stamping position, and the lower surface of the annular stamp slanting down toward the axis of the stamps when they are in stamping position.

4. In a potteryware decorating machine, a support for ware being decorated, a pair of coaxial stamps above said support with their lower surfaces normally disposed in substantially the same plane for inking, means for vertically reciprocating said stamps together, the inner stamp being movable downwardly relative to the outer one, and means around said support for limiting the downward movement of the outer stamp whereby the inner stamp projects below the outer stamp.

5. In a potteryware decorating machine, a support for ware being decorated, a pair of coaxial stamps above said support, the outer stamp being movable axially relative to the inner one, resilient means normally holding the outer stamp in lowered position with the lower surfaces of the stamps in substantially the same plane for inking, means for vertically reciprocating the stamps together, and means disposed at circumferentially spaced points around said support for limiting the downward movement of the outer stamp whereby the inner stamp continues to move downwardly to a lower position for stamping.

6. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a support for ware being decorated, a pair of coaxial decorating stamps in a plane above said support, means for vertically reciprocating the stamps, the inner stamp being movable downward relative to the other, resilient means normally holding the outer stamp in the plane of the inner one for inking, and means beside the Ware support for limiting the downward movement of the outer stamp to position the two stamps at different levels.

7. A potteryware decorating machine, comprising a support for concave ware being decorated, a pair of coaxial decorating stamps above said support with their lower surfaces normally in the same horizontal plane for inking, means for moving the stamps downward together, and means for arresting downward movement of the outer stamp while the inner stamp continues to move downward a short distance to stamp the center of ware on said support, whereby the pressure of the outer stamp against the marginal portion of the ware can be controlled.

8. A potteryware decorating machine, comprising a support for concave ware being decorated, a pair of coaxial decorating stamps above said support with their lower surfaces normally in the same horizontal plane for inking, means for moving the stamps downward together, and means for arresting downward movement of the outer stamp while the inner stamp continues to move downward a short distance to stamp the center of ware on said support, whereby the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 667,589 Silverman Feb. 5, 1901 1,069,356 Tilden Aug. 5, 1913 1,537,191 Reynolds May 12, 1925 2,077,790 Hakogi Apr. 20, 1937 2,350,033 Hebenstreit May 30, 1944 2,493,953 Emerson Jan. 10, 1950 

